English Explanatory Dictionary

molybdenum

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A chemical element (symbol Mo) with an atomic number of 42: a silvery metal, not found as a free element, used in steel alloys.
  2. A single atom of this element.

Pronunciation

məlĭb'dĭnəm /məˈlɪbdɪnəm/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-molybdenum.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-molybdenum.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-molybdenum.wav

Word forms

molybdenum molybdenums molybdænum

Etymology

From New Latin molybdaenum, from molybdaena (“any of various substances resembling lead”), from Ancient Greek μολύβδαινα (molúbdaina, “a plummet, piece of lead”), from μόλυβδος (mólubdos, “lead; graphite”), from an Anatolian word cognate with Lydian 𐤪𐤠𐤭𐤦𐤥𐤣𐤠 (mariwda, “dark”), from Proto-Indo-European *morkʷ-iyo-, from a root *morkʷ- (“dark”), cognate with English murk. Cf. Latin plumbum nigrum 'lead'. The suffix is + -um (“a chemical element”). Attested since the last quarter of 18th century.

Related words

molybdena molybdenite molybdic molybdite molybdous powellite wulfenite

Derived words

chromoly dimolybdenum ferromolybdenum moly molybdate molybdenated molybdenian molybdeniferous molybdenum blue molybdenum carbonyl molybdenum chloride molybdenum disulfide molybdenum disulphide molybdenum hexacarbonyl molybdenum orange molybdenum oxide molybdenum sulfide molybdenum sulphide molybdenum trioxide molybdian molybdo- molybdosis nonmolybdenum organomolybdenum phosphomolybdenum radiomolybdenum trimolybdenum
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